Ladder



Oct. 18, 1949. oss 2,485,413

LADDER Filed March 6, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

KLLEN Ros;

A. R. ROSS LADDER Z-Sheecs-Sheet 2 Filed March 6, 1945 0 Hw a w a a z 2 H H H H IHHHHHH W W 1 w z wH n nU H |HH.HHHHHH||II g F 2 a a t 2 w m 7 0 o 3 2 E w M a M P 9 M M L Q W 6. 4 m F b r i 6 N M 3 9w W u y JNVENTOR. KILL EN 7?. 90m

Patented Oct. 18, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LADDER Allen E. Ross, Benton, Wash. Application March 6, 1945, Serial No. 581,217

3 Claims.

. This invention relates to specialty ladders, and it has reference more particularly toladders of a character designed for use by automobile mechanics or repair workers for gaining easier access to parts of the engine or otherparts of the automobile equipment that is contained beneath the hood cover and is ordinarily reached by lifting of the said cover.

In order to impart a better understanding of the invention and. the reasons for the present ladder design, it will here be explained that of recent years the automobile industry has noted many changes particularly in hood design. In most instances, hood portions of automobiles have been made higher and wider, fenders have been increased in width, and the previous method of gaining access to the engine and closely associated parts by raising a side and top-section of the hood has given way to a design featuring an upwardly hinging hood cover. This change necessitates that a Workman in gaining access to the engine, must reach across the wide fender and over the top edge of the side walls of the hood. When the engine is set deep in the chassis, it is quite difficult to reach by a person standing on the fioor level, and it has become a custom to provide boxes, or blocks for the workman to stand on. Such means of support are unstable and dangerous, besides not always being of a most practical height. Also, present day design of automobile bodies features a hood portion that, just forward of the instrument panel or dash board, has a width that is equal to the full width of the main body, then tapers to a relatively narrow width across the front end. However, the fenders for the front wheels are retained at full width of the body and this results in causing considerable difliculty on the part of the workman, in reaching the engine for repair or adjustment from either side of the vehicle. In view of the foregoing, it has been the principal object of this invention to provide a ladder of special and novel design, that may be applied for use to the automobile at either side of the hood, for the support of the workman at a convenient elevation that will enable him to easily reach the engine, or other parts of equipment located beneath the hood cover.

Furthermore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a ladder that has special and adjustable arms fixed thereto at its upper end, designed to extend horizontally across a fender for application to the top edge of the side wall of the hood when the hood cover is in a raised position, whereby to support the ladder clear of the fender and in a secure manner and in a position convenient for the workman to gain access to the work at hand.

It is another object of the invention to provide a ladder that has the aforementioned supporting arms adjustably applied thereto in order that the ladder may be quickly and easily adapted for use at either side of the automobile.

Still another object of the invention is to provide extension legs for ladders of this kind so as to make it possible to adjust the ladder to the most convenient working height, for the particular automobilebeing worked on, or to take care of change in height that might be due to the vehicle being supported on a jack or otherwise elevated above the floor level.

Still other objects of the invention reside in the various details of construction of parts of the ladder, both in its preferred form and in its various modifications, or alternative forms, and in their combination and use as will hereinafter be fully described.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, I have provided the improved details of construction, the preferred'forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a ladder embodied by the present invention, illustrating it as applied to an automobile foruse.

Fig. 2 is an elevational detail of the ,upper end portion of the ladder, illustrating the attachment of one of the adjustable supporting arms and one mode of its application to the top edge of the hood wall. v

Fig. 3 is a' horizontal section taken on line 33 in Fig. 2, illustrating the means for adjustably connecting the arm to the ladder leg.

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the ladders Fig. 5 is a top view, illustrating the independent adjustment of the supporting arms to compensate for hood taper and to adapt the ladder for use at the right or left side of an automobile.

Referring more in detail to the drawings In Fig.1 I have illustrated the front end portion of a typical present-day automobile, and have shown a ladder, embodied by the present invention applied thereto. In this view, the hood portion of the automobile body is designated in its entirety by reference character l0, and it comprises opposite side walls Illa and I0!) that, as they extend forward from the main portion of the vehicle body, curve toward each other, as is indicated by the showing in Fig. 5, of the drawings, and are joined in a rounded nose designated at H. At opposite sides of the hood structure, are the front wheel fenders l2, overlying the front wheels 13. The hood cover is designated by numeral and, in Fig. 1, it is shown in its raised position, as required for working on or for repairing certain parts of the engine or other parts of the vehicles equipment that is located beneath the hood cover.

In its present preferred form, for most general use, the ladder of this invention comprises the spaced, upright, op osite leg portions and 20 that are rigidly joined in spaced relationship by two horizontal steps 2| and 2|, and near the upper end of the ladder,-by a cross rod 22. These parts join the legs in spaced relationship, and if it is desired, the legs could be inclined toward each other for greater stability in use of. the ladder.

While dimensions of the ladder parts are not critical, it has been found quite practical in making ladders for use with a majority of present day makes of automobiles, that the legs ZIP-21! be approximately four feet long and that the width of the ladder be from eighteen to twentyfour inches.

In order to take care of different requirements for different makes of vehicles, or for difl erent individuals; or to best suit the nature of the work tobe done, and also to adapt the ladder for better use when the vehicle being worked on is somewhat elevated from the floor-level on which the ladder will stand, the ladder is provided with extension legs 25-25; each being formed along its upper portion with a longitudinal slot 25; Two

bolts 21 are extended through the lower portion t of each ladder leg in spaced relationship there-- along, and pass freely through the slot of the corresponding extension leg to permit relative adjustment of the parts to change theeffective length of the ladder, and wing nuts 28- are applied to the bolts and may be tightened toclamp the extension portions at set positions of" adjustment.

By this means, the length of ladder may be extended as needed to best suit conditions of work. Ifsuch extensions are not desired, they may easily and readily be removed, and the'ladd'er legs 20-40 applied directly" uponthe floor.

It is the intent that, in use of" the present ladder, it shall be supported in its intended, slightly inclined upright position from the vehicle hood, but-not in contact with the fenders or-part'sthat might be marred or damaged. thereby. Therefore, at its upper end, the ladder is equipped with two horizontally extended supporting arms 30-39; Each of these arms is equipped at its outer endwith means for its easysecurement to the top edge of the hood side wall; and at its outer end is adjustably afiixed to the upper end portion of the corresponding. leg 20? of the ladder. The preferred means of adjustable connection of arm and leg is shown in Figs. land 3', wherein: it is noted that the leg is formed: centrally along its upper portion with a longitudinal slot- 35. Likewise; the corresponding horizontal arm is formed along its outer portion with ai longitudinal slot 36. The slotted portion. of the-armisplaced across the slotted portion of the corresponding leg, as clearly shown in. Fig. 2, and a clamp bolt 31: is extendedthrough the slots as themeansfor joining these parts together.

A featureof this particular'connection oi: parts resides in the provision of a fiat metal disk 40' that is disposed flatly between the adjacentsurfaces of the ladder leg and its attached arm; as

shown in Fig. 3. On one side of the disk 45, a rib 4| is diametrically secured and this rib is contained slidably in the slot 35 of the ladder leg for adjustment of the disk therealong. On the other side of the disk, a metal rib 42 is diametrically secured and this is slidably contained in the slot 36 of the corresponding arm. Washers 43-43 are applied to the bolt at the outside of the crossed arm and leg, and a wing nut 45 is applied; tothe. bolt to draw the parts together and to securely clamp them at a set position of adjustment.

The two ribs 4! and 42 are fixed on opposite faces of the disk 40 at a designated angular relationship. so that, when the arms are horizontal and are applied at their inner ends to the hood, the: ladder willbe given a definite slope, leaning slightly toward the vehicle. The provision of slots in the upper ends of the ladder legs makes possible the adjustment of arms to the necessary height for their attachmentto" the particular vehicle to be worked on. The slots irr the arms make possible-the independent adjustment of arms that is required to:- suit thetapering peripheral edge of the hood and to: adapt the ladder for use at either si'de of the vehicle; itv being understood that when the ladder is being used in the manner illustrated, one of the horizontal supporting arms must necessarily be extended f-arther' than the"other' if the ladder is to" be kept straightwith the direction of the" vehicle: Then when the ladder is applied to the opposite side of the vehicle-,the relative adjustment in efiective' length of. the lateral arms has to be reversed.

In order that the supporting arms may be securely affixed attheir inner ends to the hood edge, and thus insure against ladder slippage under weight oi the user, each is equipped at its inner end with special clamp means for various hood. structures. and a downwardly facing seat 51' in. the lower edge of the inner end of'the arm of a width sufiicient-t'o receive the top flange of thehoodwalltherein. Fixed to extend along the top edge of the. arm is a metal" strap 55 that'extends also down along the inner end of the arm and terminates below the: seat. 5t in an outturned end hook 56 When this arm is applied to the. hood sidewall,v the flange 58 that is seecured along the top edge of the. hood. wallisreceived againsththe seat, as seen in- Fig.2, then a clamp: bolt 59:- that. is threaded; through the. lower portionzof the downturned endofi the strap is adjusted to clampagainst thehood wall below the flange-1 and. thus to securely a-ffiie the arm to the wall. on, in some'hood designs, aset-screw 60 is? threaded. down from the top-oftheseat-to engage the. flange and clamp the: armin" place. With-' thedadder so. attached, it will be safely and securely held: in; place.

Having thus described my' invention; what I claim as new thereinand desirato secure'by Letters-Patent is 1'. A ladder of the character described comprising spaced l'egs', horizontal steps-joining-the legs, horizontal arms extending inwardly from the upper ends of the legs andadgjUstable toexten'd'to greater or lesser extent'and equippediat their in.-

ner ends withmeans for holding contact with a support; said legs and said armseach having longitudinal slot's therein and; said: slotted parts being in crossed relationship: and clamp bolts applied through the sl'ots of correspondingilegs and arms-'for securing'anyadiustment of anarmi upi wardly on downwardly on thaleg on'any. adjust inent of the arm in its horizontal extension from the ladder.

2. A ladder of the character described comprising spaced legs, horizontal steps joining the legs, horizontal arms extending inwardly from the upper ends of the legs and adjustable independently of each other to extend to greater or lesser extent and equipped at their inner ends with means for holding contact with a support; said legs and said arms each having longitudinal slots therein and said slotted portions being disposed in crossed relationship, rigid means between the slotted parts of arms and legs with ribs thereon slid-ably contained in the slotted parts of the arms and 15 6 slots and through the disk for clamping the parts together.

ALLEN R. ROSS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 283,530 Swartz Aug. 21, 1883 416,226 Kidder Dec. 3, 1889 799,782 Ellinger Sept. 19, 1905 910,639 Burns Jan. 26, 1909 1,157,739 Tyler Oct. 26, 1915 1,438,411 Thompson Dec. 12, 1922 1,508,392 Heun Sept. 16, 1924 1,576,695 Weber Mar. 16, 1926 1,590,064 Seaman June 22, 1926 2,187,633 Smith Jan. 16, 1940 2,249,304 Wilson July 15, 1941 2,378,678 Anderson June 19, 1945 

